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Bird of prey eyesight: the sharpest eyes on Earth

Hawks, eagles and falcons have some of the sharpest eyes of any animal. Each eye has two sharp spots, one looking ahead and one to the side. Try hawk eyes on your photo and see what changes.

Red tulips under a blue sky, as you see them.Red tulips under a blue sky as a Harris's hawk sees them (simulation): colours remapped to its 4 receptor classes, and fine detail softened.
Try it on your photo

A simulation made from published eye studies. Not what the animal feels.

The same photo through their eyes

The same tulips as a Harris's hawk sees them.Harris's hawk1.5 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as an American kestrel sees them.American kestrel2.1 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as a black kite sees them.Black kite2 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as an Egyptian vulture sees them.Egyptian vulture2.1 times sharper than youThe same tulips as a griffon vulture sees them.Griffon vulture1.6 times sharper than youThe same tulips as a red-tailed hawk sees them.Red-tailed hawk3.8 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as a turkey vulture sees them.Turkey vulture4.3 times blurrier than youThe same tulips as a bald eagle sees them.Bald eagletwo sharp spots per eyeThe same tulips as a black-chested buzzard-eagle sees them.Black-chested buzzard-eaglea narrow viewThe same tulips as a brown falcon sees them.Brown falcon1.1 times sharper than youThe same tulips as a common buzzard sees them.Common buzzard4 kinds of colourThe same tulips as a golden eagle sees them.Golden eagletwo sharp spots per eyeThe same tulips as a hooded vulture sees them.Hooded vultureBird of prey eyesightThe same tulips as a palm-nut vulture sees them.Palm-nut vultureBird of prey eyesightThe same tulips as a short-toed snake-eagle sees them.Short-toed snake-eaglesees wider than youThe same tulips as a steppe eagle sees them.Steppe eagletwo sharp spots per eyeThe same tulips as a wedge-tailed eagle sees them.Wedge-tailed eagle2.2 times sharper than you

Play today's Guess the Eye: can you tell these eyes apart?

Animals with these eyes

The science behind it